A Naturalist Expedition To The Southern Fjords

This specially designed adventure takes you to the spectacular fjords of the Lake District region on a private boat, The Alba, built by the expert hands of the Chiloé carpenters.

This itinerary covers the untamed areas of the Palena province which is full of exuberant forests, waterfalls and offers a number of possibilities to spot aquatic birds, dolphins, mammals and in some cases, even whales. We will also explore Chiloe island, its nature, and the fishermen villages and their rich culture and history.

We start our adventure from Puerto Varas, driving along the first portion of the Carretera Austral (3 hours app.), known also as Route 7, to reach Hornopirén where the crew of the Alba is waiting for us to board the ship. We begin our adventure navigating toward the south exploring the gate to the Fjords Region with possibilities of fauna & birds observation and great views on the surrounding landscape. We enjoy a stop at the Cahuelmo Hot Springs to later navigate to Quintepu where we have time to explore kayaking, enjoying a walk along the beach or try to get a good fish for the meal experiencing some fly-fishing.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Overnight on board.

DAY 2

We start to navigate early in the mornig toward south to reach Caleta Gonzalo where we disembark and we start our full day of hiking Pumalín Park. This spectacular park is the paradise for naturalist and people that enjoy hiking off the beaten path. Tompkins Conservation, an NGO leaded by the philanthropist Douglas Tompkins, recently donated the park to the Chilean Park Administration. The paths and the facilities are superb crossing the exuberant beauty of the temperate rainforest with views to the active Chaitén Volcano and the Corcovado, a peak that resemble the tower of a gothic cathedral that was always the reference point for sailors that navigate this remote coasts.

Breakfast, Box Lunch & Dinner included.

Overnight on board.

DAY 3

We start the crossing of the Gulf of Ancud toward the Archipélago of Chiloé. It is a morning of navigation with opportunities if we are lucky enough to spot Austral and Chilean Dolphins, Magellanic Penguins and different species of seabirds as Albatrosses and Petrels. Once we reach the first islands we stop for a lamb barbecue with the locals and we visit some of these remote villages starting the discovering of the ancient and rich history and culture of Chiloé, land of fishermen, myths and strange creatures and wooden catholic churches that emerge in the landscape spread among small houses and small scale agricultural fields.

Breakfast Lunch & Dinner Included.

Overnight on board.

DAY 4

We continue the exploration of the islands of the Archipélago of Chiloé visiting the village of Chelín, its Unesco site church built on 1888 while we spend time speaking to locals that guide us to discover the history and the daylife in this islands. After lunch we continue toward the great island of Chiloé to reach the port of Dalcahue where we disembark and say goodby to the Alba crew. The rest of the day we will explore the vilages of Dalcahue and visit the town of Castro before we start driving back to the mainland to arrive to Puerto Varas in the evening.

Breakfast & Lunch included.

Important: The program may suffer changes in case of weather conditions that do not guarantee the safety operations of the activities scheduled.